Piston packing-ring.



W. H. MYERS. Pl-STOWPA'CKING RING.

(Application filed Dec. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.)

kw N 6 w 2 H INVENTOVR 1. WITNESSES; 2

7&6; By Azzomeys,

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. MYERS,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PISTON PACKING-RING,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Patent No. 656,563, dated August21, 1900.

Application filed December 21, 1899. I Serial No. 741,114. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MYERS, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county ofKings, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new andusefullmprovements in Piston and other Packing-Rings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to packing-rings for pistons and aims to providecertain improvements therein.

In endeavoring to make atight joint between a piston and its cylinder ithas been common to mount two split rings on the piston insuch mannerthat there will be free dom for the rings to play in and outsufficiently to follow any variations in the walls of the cylinder, thespace inwardly of the rings.

for permitting this play serving as a steamchamber in which theexpansion of the steam may be utilized tojkeep the rings constantlypressed against the cylinder with the desired pressure for making atight joint. Such rings have been assembledwith their divided portionsstaggered, so thatthe solid part of one ring shall close the slitof theother, and the one has been provided with a flange enteringthe other forholding thetwo in correct relation in the ring-grooveformedbetween thespider-plate and bull-ring or the bull-ring and the follower-plate of apiston.

My present improvements are especially applicable to what are known as fdouble-ring i packings-that is, those best adaptedforpistons providedwith two packing-groovesand carrying two sets of packing-rings, the oneset being active when steam-pressure exists at the side of the pistonadjacent to it and the other set being then passive, the packingsoperating alternately with successive strokes of the piston. Myimprovements, however, are not confined to this use and may be generallyemployed advantageously; but for convenience I will describe such anapplication of my invention.

I My invention aims toprovide a packingring which while composed of aplurality of split rings shall be simple, convenient, and strong ofconstructiomeasily assembled, leaktight, and in which the several ringsshall wear uniformly, and thus insure a leak-tight constructionthroughout the life of the packing. To this end in carrying out myinvention in its preferred form I utilize three dis tinct rings, eachhaving wearing-faces of equal area, the one constituting a main ring,another constituting what may be called a check-ring, and anotherconstituting the initial ring. The main ring carries the other two, theone engaging it so closely as to seal the packing and the other engagingit yieldingly, the latter and the main ring being preferably bothsubject to expansion under steam-pressure to give the requisite pressureagainst the cylinder.

In the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred form of myinvention, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section,on the lines 1 l of Fig. 2, of a piston equipped with double-ringpackings; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof cut on the planesof the lines 2, 2 and 2 of Fig. 1, so as to show fragments of theinitial ring, the main ring, and the sealing-ring in elevation; andFigs. 3, 4, and 5 show details.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the piston, 13 its rod, and OO the packingrings. The piston A may be of any construction and may beanymember adapted to withstand pressure in a cylinder. The piston showncomprises a spider-plate D, a bull-ring E, and a follower-plate F and isprovided with the usual grooves a on its periphery between these parts.The bull-ring is slightly larger in diameter than the plate andfollower, so as to guide the piston in a cylinder. The follower is drawnup in any suitable manner, as by bolts 1), so that the flanges c of thebull-ringmake tight joints with the opposing faces of the spider andfollower in the construction shown. The packing-rings 'O are mounted inthe grooves a, being sprung into these grooves when the piston is formedof a solid piece with turned grooves and being placed on the bu1lringand assembled with the latter when the piston is made up of severalpieces, as shown.

According to my present invention I proing-ring, which I preferably formof three rings G, H, and I. Each is split, preferably, at only one point(1, and the three when assembled suitably fit one of the grooves a. Thering G is the main ring carrying the other vide an improved constructionforthe packtwo and in cross-section has a body or web 6, an outercylinder-face f, preferably stag.- gered to offset it slightly from thebody, and an inner base g, having projecting flanges h and 2' onopposite sides of the body. Near its outer edge the body has an internalshoulder j opposite the flange h, and on its opposite side it. has anexternal shoulder 70. The ring H has a body Z of the same width as [Othe body 6, but of less depth, having a bottom face m opposite andspaced slightly from the flange h, a top shoulder a opposite and fittingthe shoulder j, and an outer bearingface 0 of the same width as the facef. front edge 10 of the ring overhangs its body and may be beveled, asshown. The ring I has a body (1 of the same depth as the body 6, aninner face 0" fitting on the flange 'i, an internal shoulder s fittingover the shoulder k, and an outer bearing-face t of the same width asthe face f. Each ring carries diametrically opposite its slit a stud to,which loosely engages a socket o in the slit of the adjacent ring forpreserving the rings in cor- 2 5 rect position, with their slitsstaggered, one of the outer rings being held in position by a similarstud carried by an adjacent part of the piston. The three rings whenassembled fit their groove, so that they can easily expand and contractand move therein to follow the cylinder. Their dimerlsions relatively tothe groove are such that a steam-chamber w is formed beneath the mainring and a steamchamber 00 beneath the initial ring. The side 3 faces ofthe rings are approximately flat, so that when pressure enters aroundthe piston i and forces the three rings against the flat inner face ofthe groove carrying them the flat jsides of the ring I and the adjacentflange t 0 will make a tight joint against the wall of the groove. Thesteam can work down between the other wall of the groove and the ringsand through the slit in the first ring H with suflicient freedom toexpand the rings 5 against the cylinder. In doing this it forces ring Gagainst ring I with such intimacy that leakage between these rings isavoided and leakage between the ring I and flange t and the wall of thegroove is avoided. The ring I, snugly fitting the flange i and theshoulder It, prevents any steam from running around between the two fromthe slit in the ring G to the slit in the ring I, and this makes aperfect seal against the wall of the cylinder, across which no leakagecan pass. The ring H contracts freely on the ring G for follow ing thecylinder and assists in checking crossflow of steam at all points exceptits own slit, which in turn is blocked by the solid body of the ring G,the slit'of which latter is sealed by the ring I.

It will be noted that the faces of the three rings are of equal area, sothat wear of each will be equal, thus preventing the undue wear of onefrom opening a leak-crevice between it and another. It will also benoted that the effective area for the expansive ac- The tion of thesteam confined in the groove is so proportioned that anapproximately-uniform surface pressure on all the rings will beobtained, the flange of the ring G equaling in its unbalanced areaapproximately the surface faces f and t, while the face n of the ring Hhas the same relative area as has its face m, the area of which isapproximately half the eflective area of the ring G.

In operation the rings will yield and expand according to variations inpressure and imperfections in a cylinder. They will wear evenly andprevent leakage. They can be easily assembled and removed and cannot beincorrectly located. One set of rings will prevent leakage in onedirection and be passive in another direction of movement of the piston.

The interengaging faces or provisions and n on the rings H and G willprevent the ring H from dropping too far out in case it passes entirelyover the counterbore, which is sometimes extended into the cylinder farenough to be passed by the outer packing-ring. The similar provisions onthe rings G and I will have the same eifect as to the ring G. It will benoted that while the ring G permits free compression of the ring H itlimits its expansion for the purpose stated.

The crosssections of the three differential rings are shown separatelyin Figs. 3, 4:, and 5. The flat side faces a b of the ring G makecontact withthe flat side faces a b of the rings H and I, respectively.The side face 0 of the ring H coincides with the width of the flange hof the ring G, and the side face 61 of the ring I coincides with thewidth of the flange 11 of the ring G.

It will be seen that my invention provides improvements which can bereadily and advantageously availed of, and it will be under stood that Ido not limit myself to the exact features of construction, arrangement,use, or combination set forth as constituting the preferred form of myinvention, since my improvements can be employed in whole or in part, ascircumstances or the judgment of those skilled in the art may dictate,without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. In packings, the combination with a piston having aperipheral groove, of a packingring in said groove consisting of aplurality of expansive rings each having a subdividing slit, that of onering staggered in position relatively to that of an adjacent ring, oneof said rings having a body, a projecting flange, an outer bearing-face,and an inner bearingface, and the other of said rings having a .bodyfitting against the body of said firstmentioned ring, a shoulder passingunder the flange thereof, and a flange passing under and making intimatecontact with the inner side thereof, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In packings, a piston having a peripheral groove, in combination witha packing-ring in said groove consisting of a plurality of split rings,one having a body 6, a bearing-face f staggered relatively thereto, ashoulderj, and a projecting flange at its inner side, and the otherhaving a body having a shoulder engaging said shoulder, an outerbearing-face, and

an inner face opposite said projecting flange. 3. The combination with apiston having a peripheral groove, of a packing-ring consisting of aplurality of expansive split rings, the intermediate one havinga body,and laterallyprojecting flanges, and the side ones fitting againstopposite sides of said body outwardly of said flange, said rings havingrespectively outer bearing -faces of approximately-uniform area, andinterengaging provisions on two of said rings limiting expansion of oneof the side rings relatively to the center ring.

4. For packings,a piston having a peripheral groove, in combination witha packing-ring consisting of three expansive rings, the one having acentral body and projecting flanges, and the others fitting againstopposite sides of the first, said rings each having a subdividing slitstaggered in position relatively to that of the adjacent ring, and twoof said rings having each an outer bearing-face staggered relatively toits body.

5. In packin gs, a piston having a peripheral groove, in combinationwith a packing-ring consisting of three expansive rings G, H and I, thering G having a body e, outer face f, in-

ternal shoulder 7, and inner face g, the ring H fitting within theshoulder 7' of the ring G, and

7. For packings, the improved ring I-I hav ing bearing-face 0, shoulderat, flat side walls, and inner face m adapted to fit within a reciprocalring, in combination with such reciprocal ring.

8. The improved ring-packing consisting of the split rings G, H and I,the ring G having lateral flanges h and 'i,and the rings H and I fit=ting against opposite sides of the ringG out wardly of said flanges, andmeans limiting the outward expansion of one of said side ringsrelatively to said ring G.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. MYERS.

